Casino games are fun and to a certain extent, competitive that it makes you want to bring out your best as you are driven by that desire to win. But when money becomes involved, it is a different story. The gambling bug is probably the most dangerous affliction to come to you, most especially at the stage where you feel the urge to chase your losses by gambling some more with the hopes of regaining money. This in turn may affect your lifestyle, thus making gambling “sinful.”
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Of course, this is not true. It is the addiction that is “evil” and the best way to prevent that from happening is by playing in moderation, where the idea is to control your money. Here are tips to ensure it.
- Set a limited amount you can spend on gambling on a weekly basis. When you go to a casino or gambling site, take only that set amount and do not touch the rest. Stick to that all the time.
- In relation to the first one, only bet what you can afford to lose. Once you lose all your money, that is your cue to stop. Go home, take the time off and play another day once you have built up a budget for it again. As mentioned before, never touch money allotted to other expenses.
- Whatever you do, do not borrow money for gambling purposes. We all know gambling is a game of chance and there is no guarantee you will win big, which translates into paying back the creditor. This may get you into bigger trouble, especially if you borrow money from loan sharks who are not forgiving if you cannot pay them back right away.
- Find someone you can trust to help you manage your money, whether it is a relative or friend. You may want to surrender your credit cards or cash cards to them.
- Set up automatic payments for the bills you pay and withdraw the amount of money you will need for that purpose.
- If you can or with the help of someone, keep a record of your gambling. Keep track of the dates and times you gamble and your net wins and losses. This may prove useful if it comes to a point you may seek counseling.
- Limit your playing time. Regardless if you win or lose, when your time is up, leave the casino or log out if you are playing online. It is very tempting to want to win more if you are on a roll or regain your losses. The adage “quit while you’re ahead” rings very true.
- When you gamble, make sure you are sober. Do not drink alcohol while playing, which may affect your judgment. This could heighten your addiction so avoid it.
All in all, the idea here is to control your addiction to ensure you will have a healthy lifestyle and maintain stable relationships. Addiction is what makes gambling “dangerous” to you.